Display device



June 30, 1959 L. u. NELSON DISPLAY DEVICE Filed July 16. 1958 INVENTOR.` v Lawrence Z//Velv 3M Y 18M 2,892,276 DISPLAY DEVICE Lawrence U. Nelson, Chicago, Ill. Application July 16, 1958, Serial No. 748,875 4 Claims. (Cl. 40124.1)

This invention relates to an improvement in display devices in general, and, in particular, to a new and improved paperboard display device for advertising mat ter and the like.

It is a general object of my invention to provide a new and improved display device fabricated of a paperboard blank which may be folded for the purpose of mailing in an envelope and the like, and which is provided with means whereby, when such device is removed from the envelope, it automatically assumes a form to stand and display the advertising matter or the like printed thereon.

I accomplish this general object by the provision of a device formed of a rectangular blank of paperboard suitably scored to divide the board blank into three panels or sections which may be folded at the scorings in a hinge-like manner. By providing this scored paperboard blank, at the outer edges of the two outermost of the three panels, with a means for drawing their respective two outer edges towards one another, the paperboard will assume the form of a triangular prism. Thus, the paperboard blank may be accordion-folded at the scorings, placed in a mailing envelope, and, when removed, will assume its linal position as a triangular prism by operation of the drawing means. With the faces which are observable in its final form being printed with advertising matter and/or calendars and the like, my device is usable for advertising, usable on a desk, or the like. Y

Accordingly, the object of my invention is the provision of a paperboard device of three panels having means to cause the three panels to form atriangular prism. Specifically, the object of myk invention is the provision of a new and improved display device fabricated from sheet paperboard, scored lengthwise to divide the paperboard into three foldable panels, and provided with means on the two outermost panels, for drawing the edges of the two outermost panels together to form a triangular prism.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View illustrating my display device, constructed in accordance with the teachings of my invention, folded and inserted in a conventional mailing envelope;

Figure 2 is a crossesectional view of my display device taken along lines 2-2 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows',

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional View of my invention in its folded position, enlarged to illustrate in more detail the various parts;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the paperboard blank with the means to draw the outermost panels together and before the device is folded;

Figure 5 isan elevational end view of my invention immediately upon release from the envelope, such as illustrated in Figure 3, but prior to its assuming its nal position; l

Figure 6 is an elevational end view of my invention after it has assumed its final position; and

" aired States Patent C) "vice y '2,892,276 Patented June 30, 1959 Figure 7 is a side view of my invention in its nal position and illustrating the manner in which the device may be used for advertising and the like.

Turningv now to the drawings, it can be seen that I have disclosed my invention therein in Figures l, 2 and 3 in its folded position which position is utilized for the convenience of mailing Vin a conventional envelope such as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and Figure 4 discloses my invention in its unfolded blank paperboard form. Figure 5 represents the position of my device in its partially unfolded form between the mailing position as illustrated in Figure 3 and its final position or form in Figures 6 and 7.

It can be seen from a study of these drawings that my display device, indicated in its entirety as 10, is manufactured from a paperboard blank, indicated in its entirety as 11, and is scored twice at its mid-portion as at 12 and 13 to divide the blank 11 into three distinct but integral panels or sections 14, 15, and 16. The uppermost edge 17 of panel 14 is apertured centrally of its upper margin and slightly inwardly as at 18 to receive one portion of a drawing means which, in the embodiment illustrated, is a rubber band 20.

Rubber band 20 is attached at one end to the panel 16 near the latters lowermost edge 21 by any suitable means such as staple 22, and is attached at its other end by any suitable means such as staple 23, substantially centrally of the upper panel 14 on the same face or side as the staple 22. The rubber band 20 is, prior to attaching, elastically elongated and threaded through aperture 18 so as to be on the reverse side of the panel 14 (as illustrated in the drawing), and is looped over the upper edge 17, permanently aixed to the front face of panel 14 as previously described. `It can be appreciated that with the rubber band 2@ being stretched, there is a tendency for the rubber band thus disposed on the panel 16 and 14 to draw the edges 17 and 21 toward one another, and with the band 20 centrally located between the side edges 24, 25 of the blank, there is no distortion of the blank under the force of the elastic that might otherwise be incurred.

In order to direct or control the tendency for the elastic =band 20 to draw the edges 17 and 21 towards one another to form a triangular prism such as illustrated in cross-section in Figure 6, it is important that the folding of the scoring 12 and 13 be done in a particular manner. I have found that if panels 14 and 15 are folded at scoring 12 out of their common plane in such a manner that their respective front faces 26, 26 (shown in Figure 4) are disposed face-to-face in contiguous relationship as illustrated in Figure 3 (which in Figure 4 would be the bringing of either panel 26 or 27 forward), and if panel 16 is folded about scoring 13 so that the back face 28 of panel 16 is in back-to-back contiguous relationship with back face 30 of panel 15 (face 30 not being shown in Figure 4) as illustrated in Figure 3, so as to form a Z-shaped configuration in cross-section, i.e., accordion-folded, the device may then be conveniently inserted in an envelope such as 31 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, for mailing purposes.

When the device 10 is taken from the envelope the natural pull or draw of the tensioned rubber band 20 will tend to cause the edges 17 and 21 to be drawn toward one another. During the operation, the fold 13 will first unfold and will then completely reverse to be refolded in opposite direction as the rubber band pulls the edges 21 and 17 together, the positions of scoring 13 illustrated in dotted lines and solid lines in Figure 5 being illustrative of two positions through which the scoring moves during the unfolding and refolding process. The rst unfold and thence the second and opposite fold of the panels 15 and 16 are important to the operlon of my display device to accomplish tile formation Uff? /Hfiflgll/l' [7i/'S111 S illustrated 1'11 Figures 6 and 7. ll Sllollld be noted also of this pont that the illu As can be appreciated, with the triangular prism shown in Figure 6, the outside faces may be provided with advertising media, calendars, and the like, such as illustrated in Figure 7. The important feature of my invention being that this display device assumes its triangular prismatic form automatically without tabs and/or interlocking slots, yet may be formed inexpensively of paperboard and mailed in folded position in the ordinary and conventional business envelope.

I claim:

p l. A one piece display device of fiexible paperboard material comprising a first, second and third panel integrally connected by scorings and readily foldable about their respective scorings out of the plane of one another, and means for drawing the outer edges of the material toward one another causing the first andthird panels to swing about their scorings to form a geometric configuration triangular in cross-section whereby printing and the like, disposed on said material, forms'a display, said last mentioned means comprising meansrdefining a hole in the first panel adjacent its outer edge, and elastic means having one end attached to a second side of said first panel a distance inwardly from said hole and said outer edge, said elastic means being threaded through said hole and overlying the first side of said first panel between the hole and its outer edge, andattached to the second side of said third panel a distance from its outer edge, said elastic means further being so attached to require force to fold said panels in parallel planes by stretching said elastic means whereby the device may be inserted in container which maintains said elastic means stretched and when removed permits said device to form said geometric configuration, said hole allowing free movement of said elastic means whereby the same may stretch evenly when subject to said force and fully retract when said force is released, said hole and said portion of said elastic means overlying the first side of said first panel cooperating to hold thefirst and third panels in their final positions, and said portion between said hole and said outer edge being a continuous and uninterrupted portion of said first panel whereby the elastic means cannot become disengaged from its overlying position when the device is in its final form without destroying the front panel or the elastic means.

2. A one piece display device of liexible paperboard material comprising three panels integrally connected by scorings and readily foldable about their respective scorings out of the plane of one another, the first of said panels being folded about a first scoring toward a second panel in face-to-face relationship, the third of said panels being folded about a second scoring in back-toback relationship with said second panel, and means for drawing the outer edges of the first and third panels toward one another to form a geometrical configuration triangular in cross-section by having the second and third panels swing from back-to-back relation to an angular face-to-face relationship and by having the first and second panels separate to an angular face-to-face relation whereby printing and the like disposedon said panels fOfm a display, Said last mentioned means comprising 11163118 definmg a hole n said first panel adjacent its outer edge, and elastic means having one end attached to the back of said first panel a distance inwardly from said hole and said outer edge, said elastic means being threaded through said hole and overlying the face of said first panel between the hole and its outer edge and attached to the back of said third panel a distance from its outer edge, said elastic means further being so attached to require force to fold said panels in parallel planes by stretching said elastic means whereby the device may be inserted in container which maintains said elastic stretched and when removed releases the device to form said geometric configuration, said hole allowing'force movement of said elastic means whereby the same may stretch evenly when subject to said force and to freely retract when said force is released, said hole and said portion overlying the face of said first panel cooperating to hold said first and third panels in their final positions, and said portion between Vsaid hole and said outer edge being a continuous and uninterrupted portion of said first panel whereby the elastic means cannot become disengaged from its overlying position when the device is in its final form without destroying the front panel or the elastic means.

3. A one piece display device of iiexible paperboard material comprising three panels integrally connected by scorings and readily folded about their respective scorings out of the plane of one another to form an accordion-folded configuration for mailing, and means for drawing the outer edges of the material toward one another whereby the two outermost panels swing about their scorings to form a geometric configuration triangular in cross-section whereby printing and the like disposed on said material 'forms a display, said last mentioned means comprising an elastic means attached to the second side of said material on said outermost panels and having a portion overlying the first side of one of said panels near its outer edge, said elastic means being adapted to stretch when said panels are urged into parallel planar positions and to relax when said panels are not in planar positions, and means on said panels to permit said elastic means to stretch and relax freely and to cooperate with said elastic means to hold said panels in their position as a geometric configuration triangular in cross-section.

4. A one-piece display device of foldable board-like material comprising three panels integrally connected by scorings and readily foldable about their respective scorings out of theplane of one another into parallel planes to form a relativelyA flat configuration, and means for drawing the outer edges of two of said panels toward one another whereby said two panels swing about their scorings to form a geometric configuration triangular in cross-section, said last mentioned means comprising an elastic means attached to the second side of said material on said outermost panels and having a portion overlying the first side of one of said panels near its outer edge, said elastic means being adapted to stretch when said panels are urged into parallel planar positions and to relax when said panels are not in planar positions, and means on said panels to permit said elastic means to stretch and relax freely and to cooperate with said elastic means to hold said panels in their position as a geometric configuration triangular in cross-section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,379,739 Bennett May 31, 1921 2,282,280 Yogg May 5, 1942 2,530,071 Nash Nov. 14, 1950 2,601,374 Ditsler June 24, 1952 2,690,624 Phillips Oct. 5, 1954 

